Flying eagles draw Senegal in the hard confrontation of Knockout Afcon U-20

Nigeria will fight against the Senegal defenders in the quarterfinals of the Africa U-20 2025 Cup after the conclusion of the group C’s action in Egypt.

Senegal sealed his place in the knockout round with a 2-0 crucial victory over Dr Congo on Thursday night.

An early strike of Cheikh Thiam and a late penalty converted by Ibrahima Dieg lifted the young Teranga lions from the third to second place in the goal difference, surpassing Dr Congo despite finishing the level at the points.

Meanwhile, Ghana headed Group C with seven points after a hard 1-0 victory over the Central African Republic.

That result saw black satellites avoid a potentially tense clash with Nigeria archirival in the next stage.

The Flying Eagles, undefeated in Group B, ended in second place with five points behind Morocco and now face one of the strongest sides of the tournament in what promises to be a successful confrontation of quarterfinals.

Chief coach Aliyu Zubairu and his team have settled in Ismail and are sharpening preparations for Monday.

The objective is still clear: ensure a semifinal liter and with it, a place in the FIFA World Cup U-20 2025.

Nigeria reached the quarterfinals after a 2-2 draw against Kenia in his final group at the end of Match that also marked the number 100 appearance of the team in the history of U-20 AFCon.

Previously, they obtained a 1-0 victory over Tunisia and held Morocco for a dead point without goals, showing the sand and defensive solidity throughout the group stage.

Senegal, known for its compact structure and its physical edge, will not be an easy opposition. The young Lions of Teranga beat Nigeria 1-0 at their previous AFCon U-20 meeting two years ago and will try to repeat that feat.

However, the Flying Eagles have an impressive record, after having reached the quarterfinals in 10 of their last 12 appearances and remain undefeated so far in Egypt.

The expected African shock All-West African will take place at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismail on Monday, with the start of the time at 1 pm